Folding pencil compass



Dec. 21 1926. 1,611,835

A. J. KEANEY FOLDING PENCIL COMPASS Filed July 8 1925 M WWINVENTOR. flziw z A amaw,

ATTQRNEYS. I

Patented ec. l, 1926..

ALLAN J. KEANEY, OF MOUNT VERNON, NEW YORK. I

FOLDING PENCIL COMPASS.

Application filed July 8,

. This invention relates, generally, to an improved folding pencilcompass; and the invention has for its principal ob ect to provide afolding pencil compass constructed and arranged in a novel manner sothat one leg thereof, when not in use, maybe folded up and into theother leg, whereby the device will possess the appearance of and may beused as an ordinary pencll.

Another object of this inventionas to provide that leg of the compasswhich serves as the pencil element'withan adjustable lead carrying orholding means, so that the lead may serve as the marking point of thecompass, and so that sald lead may be advanced or retracted to bring themarlring point in even adjusted relation to the pivot point provided bythe foldable leg of the compass.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularlyenumerated, will be clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of the same. a

With the various objects of thisinvention in view, the same consists,primarily, in the novel folding pencil compass hereinafter set forth;and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements andcombinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the detailsof the construction of the same, all of which will be hereinafter morefully described, and then finally embodied in the appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inWhich:

Fig. 1 is a face view of the novel folding pencil compass in its foldedcondition; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same in its foldedcondition; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the folding pencilcompass, the same.

showing the firststep in unfolding the foldableleg thereof; Fig. 4: is aside elevation of the same with the foldable leg completely unfolded andextended ready for use; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse section, taken on line 55 in Fig. 2, saidviewbeing drawn on an enlarged scale.

' Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the hereinabovedescribed views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character 6 indicates thepencil leg of the compass, the same consisting of a substantiallycylindrical body portion, having 1925. Serial No. 42,17?.

an extension 7 of reduced diameter at its outer or free end,'and abifurcated opposite end 8 providing a central bearing or joint slot 9.Said body portion of the pencil leg 6 is provided witha longitudinallyextending depressed seat, socket or compartment 10, which opens alongthe longitudinal face of the pencil leg. Rotatablv engaged upon thereduced extension 7 of the pencil leg 6 is a hollow 'lead-holding shell11, provided with a tapered free-end portion 12 through which a pencillead 13 maybe projected. Aflixed within the interior of said shell 11,so as to be axially alined herein, is a tubular internally screwthreaded barrel 14, through the bore of which said pencil lead 13 may beadvanced. The reference character 15 indicates a lead advancing plunger,the forward end of which is entered in the rearward end of said barrel14 behind the pencil lead 13. Said plunger 15 is provided with malescrew thread elements 16, which engage the internal screw threads ofsaid barrel 14. Formed in the pencil leg body 6, in longitudinalalinement with said barrel 1-1 is an elongated socket 6, into which therearward end-portion or tail 15' of the plunger 15 extends. The rearwardextremity of said end-portion or tail 15 s provided with a flattenedkey-piece 15",

which serves to prevent rotation of said plunger 15 relative to thepencil leg body 6, while permitting free longitudinal movement thereof;so that upon turning the pencil leg body relative to the shell 11', saidplunger 15 will turn with the former "and its male thread elements 16caused to cooperate with the internal threads of said barrel 1d,thusproducing longitudinal advancement or retraction of the plungerrelative to the barrel to advance the lead 13 or permit the retractionof the same,'as the case may be... The described, arrangement permits ofeasy adjustment of the pencil lead 13, as to its extent of'proj ecti on'from the free end of the shell 11. The above described pencil leadadjusting means isnot,

"per se, claimed by me, but is illustrative of one of many types ofpencil lead controlling or adjustingmeans common to magazine ormechanical-pencils. So far as my present invention is concerned I merelydesire to claim, broadly, a pencil lead controlling or adjusting means111 combination with the w the respective legs thereof be so pivotallynovel folding pencil compass structure which is the subject of myinvention.

The foldable leg of my compass, "comprises an articulated leg elementconsisting of-a main leg section 17 and a foldable free end or pointedsection 18. Said main leg section 17 is provided at its'u per end with aperforate hinge leaf 19, adapted to be received in thehearing or jointslot 9 of the bifurcated end 8 of the pencil leg body 6, and thereuponpivotally connected with the latter by means of suitable connection.Since it is desirable in a compass instrument. that joined as to readilymaintain the positions to which they are adjusted, I have providedafrictional pivot joint adapted to conveniently serve such end. Thisfrictional pivot joint is formed by providing external seats 20 at theopposite outer faces of said bifurcated end 8 of the pencil leg body 6,the same being in parallel plane with said bearing or joint slot 9. Apivot yoke member 21 having laterally spaced washer or yokearms 22 and23 is caused to embrace the bifurcated end 8 of the encil leg body 6, sothat said washer or yo re-arms 22 and 23 respectively seat themselves inthe respective seats 20. One of said washer or yoke-arms, as 23, isprovided with an internally threaded perforation. so that a pivot screw24, when passed through the opposite washer or yoke-arm 22, and thencethrough the interengaged bifurcated end 8 and hinge leaf 19 of therespective com ass leg portions, may be threaded into sai washer oryoke-arm 23, with the effect of drawing the interengaged parts togetherin'frictional embrace, whereby the compass leg portions may be swungrelatively one to the other, when sufiicient force is ap lied thereto toovercome the thus establis ed friction, but will, in consequence of suchestablished friction, tend to hold or maintain the positions to whichthey are thereby adjusted. The pivot yoke member 21 may be provided, atits outer end with a socket 25 adapted to hold an eraser rubber 26. asshown. It will be quite evident that the socketed eraser holdingportionmay be omitted from the structure if desired, and the washer oryoke-arms 22 and 23 may be made and used in the form of independentwashers.

The outlying body portion of the main leg section 17 is provided with alongitudinal slot or socket 27. Pivotally connected by the rivet 28.within the outer end of said socket or slot 27, is the-butt 29 of saidfoldable free end or pointed section 18. By turn-'- ing said section 1 8on its pivotal connection, the same may be swung -or folded into theslot or socket 27 of the section 17, as illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3inclusive of the drawings. Secured by its anchor piece'30, which isinsertedwithinthe rear end of said slot or socket 27 and riveted to thesection 17 is a clasp-spring 31, which extends longitudinally along oneside of said slot or socket 27 above the folded in section 18. The freeend of said clasp-spring 31 bears tensionally down upon the butt 29 ofthe section 18, thus holdin the latter yieldably retained in its in-folced position. Said butt 29 of the section 18 possesses a rounded kickportion 32, which, when the section 18 is out turned from the section 17lifts the free end of the clasp-spring 31. Said kick portion 32terminates in the outer side of the butt 2 "in a flat seat 33, at theinner end of which is a stop-shoulder 34. When the section 18 is outturned from the section 17 into unfolded or operative extended positionrelative to the latter, the clasp-spring 31 will bear tcnsionally uponsaid flat seat 33 to yieldably hold the parts in such relation, whilethe stop-shouder 31 will fetch up against the end of the clasp-spring,thus holding the unfolded section 18 against outward yielding and.collapse; all of which will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 4of the drawings.

As will be evident from a reading of the accompanying drawings. thefoldable leg of the pencil compass may be snugly folded into the pencilleg thereof by, first, folding the foldable section 18 into the section17. and thereupon, in turn, swinging the section 17 into the socket orcompartment 10 of the pencil leg 6, so that the foldable compass leg isflushly concealed within the latter. It w1ll be quite obvious that avery neat and compact arrangement results, whereby the device will havethe appearance of and may be used as an ordinary pencil. In order to,facilit-ate'the unfolding operations, the side of the section 17 of thefoldable' leg is provided with a thumb-nail nick 35, and the pencil legbody 6 is provided with a cutaway portion or clearance notch '36. withwhich said nick 35 registers when the parts are folded together, so thatthe nick may I am aware that some changes may be made'in the generalarrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as wellas in the details of the construction of the same, without departingfrom the scope of this invention as described in the foregoinspecification, and as defined in the appende claims. Hence, I do notlimit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of thedevices and parts as set forth in the foregoing specification, nor do Iconfine myself to the exact details of the construction of said parts asillustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim 7 l. A folding pencil compass consisting of a pencil leg havinga lead holding and adjusting means at its free end, said pencil leghaving an elongated socket in one side thereof; a foldable legcomprising a main section, a foldable pointed section pivoted to theouter end of said main section, said main section having a longitudinalslot into which said foldable section may be folded,

, means for retaining said foldable section extended relation to saideither in folded or means for pivotall intermain section; and connectingsaid leg so that the latter, when its members are folded to ether, maybe in turnfolded into and flushl y concealed in said side socket of saidpencil leg.

2. A folding pencil compass consisting of a pencil leg having a leadholding and adjusting means at its free end, said pencil leg having anelongated socket in one side thereof; a foldable leg comprising a mainsection, a foldable ointed section pivoted to the outer end of said mainsection, said main section having a longitudinal slot into which saidfoldable section may be folded, means for retaining said foldablesection either in folded or extended relation to said main section;means providing a friction joint for movably interconnecting said pencilleg and foldable leg together; and said foldable leg, when its membersare foldable together, being movable into said side socket of saidpencil leg to flushly conceal the same therein.

3. A folding pencil compass consisting of a pencil leg having a leadholding and ad-' justing means at its free end, said pencil leg havingan elongated socket in one side there+ of; afoldable leg comprising .amain section having a longitudinal slot in its free end, a' pointedfoldable extension pivoted to of said main section so as to the free endpencil leg and said foldable spring to hold said extension in eitherfolded or extended relation to sand mam section; and means for pivotallytension is in folded relation thereto, may be in turn folded into andflushly concealed in said side socket of said pencil leg.

. in connection 4. A folding pencil compass consisting of a-pencil leghaving a lead holding and ad- ,usting means at its free end, said pencilleg iaving an elongated socket in one side thereof; a foldable legcomprising a main section having a lon itudinal slot in its free end, apointed foldable extension pivoted to the free end of said main sect-ionso as to fold into the slot of the latter, a claspspring secured to saidmain section, means with thepivoted end of said foldable extensionengageable by the free end of said clasp spring to hold said extensionin either folded 0r extended relation to said main section; meansproviding a friction joint for movably interconnecting said pencil legand foldable leg together; and said foldable leg, when its extension isin folded relation thereto, being movable into said side socket ofsaid'pencil leg to flushly conceal the same therein.

5. A folding pencil compass, comprising a pencil body having alongitudinal socket in its side, a foldable leg pivotall connected withsaid pencil body to fol into-said socket, said foldable leg having apointed extension pivotally connected with its free end, said foldableleg also having a socket into which said pointed extension may befolded, and, means for holding said extension in either folded orextended relation to said foldable leg.

In testimony that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereuntoset my hand this 3rdday of July, 1925. I

4 ALLAN J. KEANEY.

,foldable extension engageable by the free end of said claspinterconnecting said pencil leg and said foldable leg so that thelatter, when its ex-

